Health Bill criticised for not protecting whistleblowers
The Health Bill, introduced to the Dáil yesterday, was described as “disappointing” and “ill-conceived” by the party’s health spokesman Dr Liam Twomey.
He insisted that the need for new patient safety measures could not be clearer following the Neary, Leas Cross and MRSA scandal and the ongoing problems in A&E departments.
Instead, the Government was “verging on negligence” in its protection of patients, according to Dr Twomey who maintained the Health Bill did not provide any protection for whistleblowers.
However, Health Minister Mary Harney yesterday announced that she was bringing an amendment to the bill which would provide for the protection of those who have concerns about nursing home conditions and patients. She described the proposed legislation as a “new departure” for the health service.
Ms Harney added that draft standards for residential care settings for older people would be published today.
Under the Health Bill, nursing homes in the public sector can be inspected for the first time and immediately closed on failing to meet the required standards.
Inspectors will have the power to examine documents and interview those living in the nursing homes, in addition to nursing home staff.
A new body, the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), will be responsible for setting and enforcing standards for all affected institutions, according to the Minister for Health.
The Social Services Inspectorate, which will operate within Hiqa, will have responsibility for inspecting nursing homes and residential centres for people with disabilities.
“Where necessary the bill provides for action to be taken quickly to protect service users,” said Ms Harney.
“This includes provisions for the urgent closure of centres.”
A commission on patient safety and quality assurance is being established to examine and make recommendations on a system of licensing for all public and private providers of healthcare.
However, Labour’s health spokeswoman Liz McManus said that the bill did not provide the “comprehensive and wide-ranging protection” that patients needed and deserved.
Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghin O’ Caoláin said the Health Bill was “too little, too late” and accused the Government of being wedded to a “two-class, two-tier health service that is inefficient because it is inequitable”.
